You can take part in the ringing at several levels with the East Kent Wildlife Group as follows:-

1. You can come along to the ringing sessions and act as "Helpers". This means you can help put up nets, carry birds in bird bags, watch the ringing and learn all kinds of interesting detail about each individual bird, act as scribe for the information and carry out easy tasks that require little or no detailed knowledge or skills under the supervision of the experienced ringers.

2. Training for a permit to ring birds on your own is available. It can take years to acquire the necessary level of skills and knowledge and often depends on how much time you can spend learning. There is a structure to work through and there are three basic levels - Trainee where all your ringing is carried out under supervision, a "C"-permit where you can ring on your own but still have a trainer to get you to the level of an "A"-permit

3. Perhaps somewhere in between, where you take part in all the ringing activities but prefer to be with company and have little or no interest in working on your own.

4. As an "A"-permit holder where you can hold your own rings and take responsibility for the ringing activities and the team.

In addition to the permit structure there are a number of levels of endorsements to train for and these include ringing nestlings, using mist nets, operating whoosh nets (elastic powered) and training other ringers. The Ringing Scheme is administered by the British Trust for Ornithology under the terms of the Wildlife and Countryside Act and the ringing carried out by the East Kent Wildlife Group is subject to their rules and structure. All the information collected by the EKWG ringers is submitted to the BTO electronically.

EAST KENT WILDLIFE GROUP – RINGING PROGRAMME

Each month the main ringing days are Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays (mornings to afternoons). Certain events such as wader ringing and Nightjar trapping will take place at night. Cannon-netting depends on tides amd weather.

Emphasis is on good opportunities for training and advancement, covering sites at the most favourable time of year, ensuring “projects” are given sufficient time (e.g. RAS, Nightingales, pulli) and encouraging individual interests (e.g. Starlings in gardens).

The timetable needs to take into account Bank and School Holidays and other events which can interfere with ringing. Weather will be a major factor which could mess with any programme. We will communicate via email and mobile texts and use walkie-talkies when appropriate onsite.

Time for maintenance of equipment, nest-boxes and sites, especially filling feeders will be factored in.

SEPTEMBER – For two weeks after the School Holidays, visit Kearsney Abbey for Herring Gulls, ducks, Coots and Swans plus colour-ringing Stonechats at Samphire Hoe. Catching juvenile gulls on beaches. Swale Wader Group (SWG) dates are a few evenings each fortnight depending on weather. This is an excellent chance for wader training; perhaps also useful is the Wash Wader Ringing Group weeks. Visits to Quex Park, Orlestone Forest, Kings Wood, Beech Court Gardens and Stonelees(2+) should be done. The morning walks programme starts on Wednesdays.

OCTOBER – Heavy migration time - Quex and Stonelees should be covered at least once. We have been asked to lead the ringing for Tree Sparrows at the Dungeness RSPB HQ and two visits could be profitable here, especially for migrants on days that are very calm (it’s an exposed site). Romney Marsh Visitor Centre could also yield migrants when it closes. SWRG dates are a few evenings depending on weather.

NOVEMBER – Main time for checking, repairing, cleaning and putting up nest-boxes. Ringing at Orlestone Forest, Kings Wood, Quex, Stonelees, Romney Marsh VC, Burmarsh, Dungeness, Samphire Hoe and perhaps some attempts for waders or gulls (cannon-, mist- or whoosh-netting) could be made. Feeding stations become more active. SWG dates are a few evenings depending on tides and weather. Whoosh-netting should be attempted either for Turnstones on the beaches or finches/buntings at Richborough and maybe some gulls.

DECEMBER – As for November but Christmas and holidays will get in the way. SWG dates are a few evenings and are generally the last of the year/winter.

JANUARY 2018 – As for November but hopefully the nest-boxes will all be ready. Winter feeding at King’s Wood and Orlestone Forest could prove interesting for finches, winter thrushes, Marsh Tit, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, etc. Waders and gulls will be targets, especially if the weather turns cold, plus ducks at Kearsney. Need new tide tables.

FEBRUARY – As for January.

MARCH – A funny month which could see cold weather or an early spring and the first nests. Play it by ear, whatever that means. Could be the ending of regular mist-netting for a while at many sites, particularly feeder sites.

APRIL – Big time nesting action. Checking nest-boxes and nests. Targeting Nightingales at the end of the month and possibly Tree Pipits. RAS time. No ringing at winter sites, Dungeness or Romney Marsh VC.

MAY – As April but including Nightjars. This time of year can be very busy as some broods mature at inconvenient times. We need to concentrate on getting people through to a pulli endorsement as well as collecting NRS data. We need to ensure we have an efficient way of recording nest records. Starling, Nightingale, Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler RAS.

JUNE – As for May but even busier. It’s a mad, mad world.

JULY – As for May but starting all the many Barn Owl nest checks says Pete the optimist. It would be a good plan to find a goose round-up somewhere and go there mob-handed.

AUGUST – Catching up with life after pulli. Stonelees and Orlestone Forestare good bets. Lots of juveniles about.